Shuffle
by tlyxor1
Summary: Oneshot iPod challenge. 10 songfic drabbles. Bella/Paul. Enjoy.


**Shuffle **

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight. All recognisable characters, content or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

**Challenge:** iPod Challenge:

1. Pick a character/pairing/fandom you like.

2. Turn on your music player and put it on shuffle.

3. Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the song's time frame to finish the drabble: you start when the song starts and finish when it ends.

4. Do ten of these and then post them.

-!- -#-

**Fandom:** Twilight

**Pairing:** Bella/Paul

Song 1:** Halo - Beyonce **

**-!- -#- **

He's sort of an asshole, but she can't really bring herself to care. He makes her laugh and smile and she doesn't think she's been so happy for a long time. He's like the stars, shining bright even in the darkness and like the stars, he takes her breath away.

His name is Paul and he is her saving grace.

She met him at Jacob's. She'd learned of the pack - inadvertently, of course - when she slept over at his house and saw Quil phase in the backyard.

Talk about a trip.

He'd called her a leech lover and then proceeded to stare at her like he'd just seen the sun for the first time. And despite the fact that he's almost a complete stranger, she doesn't even care.

After all, he's Paul. He was her friend once and he'd become something more over time.

And she doesn't even care that he's sort of an asshole.

Because - yeah - Paul's her saving grace and his stars in the nighttime and he takes her breath away.

-!- -#-

**Song 2:** The One That Got Away - Katy Perry

-!- -#-

She met him after graduation, at a bonfire hosted by Billy in celebration for finally finishing high school. He'd been shirtless, with a confident swagger and a swoon-worthy smile. She'd been breathless, attracted despite the fact they'd only just met.

The summer had been sensational, but then she'd left for college and never saw him again. She'd heard about him, of course: Rachael Black was his best friend so Jacob - Bella's own best friend - saw and talked about him often.

And every time, her stomach would tie in knots and she'd remember that summer: humid and dry and so very fast.

She'd wished it had been endless.

Because a love like that? It was a whirlwind - one she'd never forget.

And staring at him again, at Rachael's wedding to Embry Call, all of those feelings rush back to her, as strong as they'd been five years earlier.

She wonders if he feels the same. He still has that confident stride, but he gives her that smile - the one that he'd only ever given her.

And - just maybe - she thinks, that he's missed her too.

-!- -#-

**Song 3:** He Wasn't - Avril Lavigne

-!- -#-

He's a jackass.

There's nothing for it.

She sighs, stands up and leaves the restaurant. Edward's stood her up again and she won't stand for it.

As she heads towards her car, she sends her break up text with dry eyes. She climbs into her car, ignites the engine and heads to Paul's.

He greets her with a humourless smile, but lets her crash on the couch. He settles down beside her, two tumblers of whisky in hand - she downs hers in one.

Then they sit back and watch 'The Hangover' until she falls asleep.

When she wakes, Paul is still there, arm wrapped supportively around her shoulder and snoring lightly in her ear.

She feels loved in his arms.

She wonders why she's never realised sooner.

-!- -#-

**Song 4:** Fix You - Coldplay

-!- -#-

With a groan, she lifts herself from the forest floor, picks a direction and begins to walk. She has no idea where she is, but she needs to keep moving, God help her. But then she hears a crack and her nerves - already shot to hell - go haywire.

With heart thudding in her chest, tear tracks running down her cheeks and breaths coming in sharp, audible gasps, she probably looks a sight, but she's more concerned about whatever the fuck has just spotted her.

She waits.

ANd waits.

And waits some more.

But just as she's about to relax, a monstrously large, silver coated wolf appears in the underbrush.

The first thing she notices is just how handsome it is.

The next thing she realises is that this beast could probably eat her for dinner and still have room for seconds.

And so she prays.

But then that wolf does the unimaginable.

It curls itself around her, thereby warming her from head to toe. It snuffles at the bare skin of her arm and whines and oh so slightly, the brunette relaxes into his warmth.

When she sees Paul Lahote in Jacob Black's yard, she doesn't know how she knows it, but she knows that boy is the silver wolf from her hours in the forest. And without hesitating, she launches herself at him, arms around his neck, legs around his waist and face nuzzled in his shoulder.

And here, in this overheated embrace, she's home.

-!- -#-

**Song 5:** Breathe - Taylor Swift

-!- -#-

Break ups sucked. Anyone could tell you that. No matter how amicably, they always sucked.

She got into her truck, blasted her sad playlist and drove to La Push. She didn't want to think about how much her heart was hurting with Jacob's oh-so-guilty end of their relationship, so she won't.

Instead, she drives and drives and drives until she reaches the only place she's ever felt at peace: FIrst Beach.

Paul's there, sitting on the cliffs. SHe joins him at the edge, hangs her legs over the cliff face and contemplates jumping - simply for the thrill.

She needs to feel something, she supposed.

"He finally told you, then?"

"Yeah," she sighs. "I feel used."

He wraps an arm around her shoulders, but doesn't bother saying anything. Instead, they sit in silence and she muses over just how comfortable she is. SHe can't remember when they became friends, but she's so glad for it right now.

"He's an asshole."

"Maybe I'm just an idiot for letting myself love him."

"No, he's an idiot for risking it." He smiles bitterly. "He'll look back and be sorry. Because you? You're worth so much more than her."

And maybe - one day - she might believe him.

-!- -#-

**Song 6:** So Yesterday - Hilary Duff

-!- -#-

She felt new and improved, despite the fact nothing much had changed. SHe'd highlighted her hair, cut her jeans and traded her usual long sleeves for a racer back tank top over her polka dotted bikini.

The new look worked wonders though - Edward Cullen's green eyes had practically fallen out of his sockets.

Leah smirked, linking her arms with Bella's. "His loss. Now look over there - Paul Lahote has just seen you."

"Really?" She turned her head and indeed, Paul Lahote was eyeing her appreciatively. They meet gazes and he smiles, white teeth flashing in the summer sun. He gives a wave and returns to his friends.

Later, as the sun is setting and the bonfire is lit, she's surprised when he settles down beside her.

"You look awesome today, little birdy."

"Thanks," she grinned. "I feel pretty awesome."

He nudges her slightly. "Good - feeling good about yourself will make others feel good about you." He grins. "Can I have your number?"

She grins. "Sure."

-!- -#-

**Song 7:** Landslide - Fleetwood Mac

-!- -#-

Her voice is husky and warm and she sings like an angel and he's sort of wonderstruck. He wraps her up in his arms and considers just how incredible his girl is. SHe smiles up at him through dancing brown eyes, laughs happily and skips away from his reaching arms.

Isabella Swan was wonderful. He'd been hesitant at first, but when he'd gotten to know her?

He couldn't imagine his life without her in it.

So while he was absolutely terrified of summer's end, he was still deliriously, wondrously happy. She was here, she was his and for the moment, his life couldn't be better. For the moment, college and the future could wait.

After all, she was here and she was wonderful.

-!- -#-

**Song 8:** Closer - Joshua Radin

-!- -#-

"We need to stop meeting like this," she murmurs, but her voice is breathy and ends in a slight moan. His lips have just found her collarbone. "Paul," she murmurs. He hums against her skin and it vibrates through her. She sighs. "Paul, stop."

He chuckles but pulls back, his hands finding her hips in the dimly lit storage room. "You want this, don't you?"

"Always," she agrees. SHe can see the smirk her admission brings forth. She rolls her eyes.

"Then why are we stopping?" His lips nuzzle her neck again. And for the life of her, she can't remember why.

-!- -#-

**Song 9:** Addicted - SImple Plan

-!- -#-

She picks up the phone and dials the familiar number. He answers on the third ring, but says nothing. No doubt, he recognises the caller ID.

"Hi," she whispers. "How… how are you?"

He doesn't answer for a long time.

She wonders if he's going to hang up.

"I feel like shit." A pause. "I miss you."

She sighs. The words are all she's wanted to hear for hours - days - weeks. "I'll be over in half an hour."

The drive to La Push seems endless. She finally reaches his house though and he's waiting for her on the porch. She bounds up the steps and into his arms without hesitation, arms going around his neck and legs around his waist. Her lips find his and she sighs against them, finally content after two months of missing this - missing Paul. SHe'd tried to walk away - to forget - but Paul was pretty unforgettable.

When she pulls away, breathless - she rests her forehead against his. "I missed you too."

He kisses her again. Her heart pounds, blood races and she hasn't felt this alive since she left.

"Thanks for taking me back."

"Always."

-!- -#-

**Song 10:** Red - Taylor Swift

-!- -#-

"It's like their own version of foreplay," Sam muses, watching as Paul and Bella argue, tempers flared but smiles on their faces. "It's almost disgusting."

"It's hilarious, that's what it is," Quil contradicts, "Five more minutes and they'll be gone."

"Why?" Claire asked.

"Never you mind, Claire Bear."

Bella gives a frustrated scream, grabs her boyfriend's shirt and pulls him out of the house. SHe's seeing red, but all she can do is launch herself at him, hips grinding into his own and lips all but fuzed to his.

"You drive me crazy," she groans, breathless but shameless despite herself. SHe's pinned up against a tree, her shirt buttons are undone and front clasp unhooked, but she doesn't care. She's more interested in the oh so glorious way Paul's grinding his hard on against her heat and creating the most glorious friction.

"You love it," he rasps.

"And I don't know why."

-!- -#-

**Fin.**

**-!- -#-**

**Author's Note:** If anyone's interested in using one of these drabbles as parts of your story, a head's up would be appreciated. Anyway, your thoughts on one or more of these things would be appreciated.

Regards -t

ps. Apparently I'm a fast typer - or all these songs are really long which is a lie because 'He Wasn't is legit 2.59 minutes long - because I looked at the word counts for some other iPod challenges and most of them don't reach a thousand words. Awkward.


End file.
